Welcome to the fifteenth week of 52 Diets 52 Weeks, where Laura test-drives exactly that in exactly that. And yes, I am aware that it's Wednesday and this should have posted Monday. And yes, I am aware I've been blathering on about the Hot Latin Diet for days, and then don't actually make it this week's diet ... I couldn't locate the tomatillos, 'kay? Crepes, mais oui, I located them so ....

Diet 15: Overview of the French Women Don't Get Fat Diet

The French Women Don't Get Fat diet is all about lifestyle. All about savoring your food. Living fully in the moment. All about channeling that inner Catherine Deneuve circa Umbrellas of Cherbourg (could she have possibly been more beautiful? oh, mais non, and play the video in the link).

Before you start this diet, I require that you surf to Netflix and rent these French film titles. Believe me, you will thank me as you embark upon your Parisian dietary sojourn: Natch (I'm already tearing up), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964); the grounded good looks of Anouk Aimee in A Man and A Woman (Claude Lelouch, 1966); the struggle of encroaching age handled gracefully by Nathalie Baye in The Venus Beauty Institute (Toni Marshall, 1999); the incomparable violet-eyed Isabelle Adjani in Camille Claudel (1988), and, for fun, the happy-sad story about being true to yourself, Ma Vie en Rose (1997).

Once you have these titles in your possession -- and you can always throw in a little Les Miserables reading action -- then ... begin!

I've seen all these titles, so I'm moving on to the crepes myself ... more in the extended entry.

Now that I've gotten my film fetish out of the way, the French Women Don't Get Fat diet is based on the book, which was written by the strikingly unfat Mireille Guiliano. I'm not a fan of her Web site, because -- like many overhyped diets today -- it's a monthly-fee pay site. I really don't agree with those. Buying the book should grant you entry into the Web site, and anything else is just greedily grabbing dollars. That's my humble opine.

That said, Mireille Guiliano opines on all kinds of subjects that qualify as "lifestyle" more than food ... and it's all pleasurable reading in the sense that's it's intriguing to read the thoughts and motivations behind a really got-it-together-type woman (Martha Stewart la francaise if you will).

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About the authors

RAQUEL MUHAR loves food and has the curves to prove it. She thought by reaching her goal weight (a number she's still striving for) all the hard work would be over. But along the way, she realized maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying active and making smart food choices would be a lifelong battle – a reality easier dealt with when there's chocolate.

PHOEBE FLOWERS, a senior copy editor who joined the Sun Sentinel in 2003 as a film critic, has long been mourning the loss of a freakish metabolism that allowed her to eat three Quarter Pounders a day, never exercise, and yet mysteriously retain the body of a taller Kate Moss. She has never seen an episode of "The Biggest Loser," but is fanatically devoted to Jackie "This Is Why You're Fat" Warner. Her hobbies include eating cheese, reading fitness books and magazines while lolling about on the couch watching TV, and judging people. She is absolutely going to kick off a life-changing diet and exercise regimen tomorrow.

REBEKAH MONSON was a chubby kid who remains a chubby adult. She has lately turned to regular diet and exercise to improve her health and lose weight. In the past year, she has lost 25 pounds through a better diet and excercise.